Fatal Flaw
by kellocfan1
Summary: As Brooke's family dangerously nears bankrupcy, it seems as though her entire world is collapsing around her. What happens when someone offers her a way out? What happens when she makes a deal with the devil, and who will be hurt as a consequence? NB
1. Prologue

Summary: As Brooke's family dangerously nears bankrupcy, it seems as though her entire world is collapsing around her. What happens when someone offers her a way out? What happens when she makes a deal with the devil, and who will be hurt as a consequence? BrookeNathan

Disclaimer: I do not own One Tree Hill or any of it's characters.

Story Notes: Takes place sometime during season two, I guess. As you can see, I changed some things around, but you'll understand that after you read.

Author's Note: This is my first time writing a One Tree Hill fic, so I hope I can do it justice. Reviews are always appreciated- good or bad. Please and thank you! Now, on with the story...

No matter what catastrophic event she was facing in her life, Brooke Davis turned to ice cream in her time of need. Her first ice cream binge had occured when her parents began neglecting her when she was just a little girl. While they were away on their so-called "buissness trips," Brooke would sit with the housekeeper and watch soap operas, all the while indulging herself with the sugary substance.

When she was in fifth grade, she was filled in on the importance of appearance. Consequently, she tossed out the Ben & Jerry's, placing new restrictions on herself. However, when her one true ally in her family- her grandmother- passed away a year later, she single-handedly finished off two quarts. This was followed by excessive exercise and dieting, but that didn't stop it from happening, and it wouldn't stop it from happening again. In fact, she had lost count of the cartons consumed when the one boy she had ever truly cared for cheated on her with her best friend. Yeah, that had hurt. Since then, she had resolved never to let a boy get to her again. No more temptations to cheat... no more risks of losing stellar bod. Everyone wins.

Brooke had eventually forgiven Lucas and Peyton for their betrayal. This proved to be an extremely difficult task, but step-by-step they gained her trust back. It didn't hurt that Peyton was now seeing Jake Jagielski, school sweetheart, and showed no more interest in Lucas, whatsoever- with the exception of friendship, of course. Lucas, along with Brooke, was keen on being independent. No more girl drama, at least for a little while. In fact, the only woman, besides his mother, that he spent much time with was his best friend, Haley James. That is, when she wasn't off with his least favorite person- his brother, Nathan. He didn't like it, but he cared enough about Haley to let her make her own mistakes.

Tree Hill sometimes reminded Brooke of one big soap opera. At times, it was so surreal she had to pinch herself, just to be sure it wasn't a dream- or a nightmare, for that matter.

"Brooke!" Her reinstated best friend let herself into the house that was so ginormous that her voice echoed. "Are you ready to go?"

Brooke appeared at the top of the staircase wearing a sexy, red halter top along with the shortest skirt she owned. Her matching handbag and heels topped off the already extravagent outfit. "Too slutty?" were her first words as she strided down the staircase to greet her friend.

"Just a little." Peyton laughed as she shook her head. Typical Brooke.

_"Perfect." _Brooke replied, showing off her signature smile. "You, on the other hand, may need some work."

Peyton, predictably, was wearing one of her trademark band tees and jeans. Her head full of curls was the icing on the cake. "We're just going to the mall." she pointed out. "Not a fashion show..."

"Yeah, but not a rock concert either." Brooke countered. "Whatever, let's just go. I'm driving."

"So, P. Sawyer..." Brooke began once the duo was in the car and well on their way. "How are things going with Mr. Jagielski?" She lowered her voice and smiled mischievously. "Have you two done it yet?"

_"Brooke!" _Needless to say, Peyton was taken back by the inappropriateness of the question. She marveled over her friend. Why was she surprised? "You are something else, ya know that?"

Brooke came to a halt at a red light and turned to the blonde anxiously. "Don't avoid the question, P. Sawyer. I know you, and I know a sidestep when I see one."

Peyton laughed and shook her head incredulously. "No, we haven't had sex yet." she paused for effect. "Happy?"

"No, I am not _happy_." Brooke replied, diverting her attention back to the road just as soon as the light changed colors. "You haven't had sex yet." she stated. "Why the hell not?"

"I don't know..." Peyton stalled, playing with one of her many curls. "We're taking things slow, I guess."

The brunette laughed, evidently amused. "Oh, come on. That it the oldest excuse in the book, and you know it. For whatever reason why Jagielski's not initiating things, you're going to have to make the first move."

"I'm completely satisfied with the way things are, Brooke." Peyton replied, trying her best to sound convincing.

"Not as _satisfied_ as you'd be if you were having sex." Brooke retorted knowingly.

The two laughed as Brooke sped down the familiar street, eager to get to her second home.

After two hours of non-stop speed-shopping, as Brooke called it, the two girls were exhausted and ready for a much deserved lunch break. Brooke scanned the food court, simply searching for the place with the shortest line. It was twelve o' clock on the dot, after all. Something caught her eye as she was browsing. She nudged her best friend. "Look who's working at the pretzel stand." she pointed a perfectly manicured finger, smiling mischievously. "I'll tell you, it's our friend, Nathan Scott." she paused for effect. "Let's go say hi... Or make fun of his uniform, whatever."

Peyton had no choice but to comply as she was dragged off in the direction of the pretzel stand. Fortunately, there was no line. Nathan's misguided attempt at a pretzel evidently drove most of the customers away.

"You know, I don't think I've ever seen you without a uniform on, Nathan." Brooke said playfully as they approached. "Except for I don't see the number 23 anywhere, so will someone please tell me what the hell is going on? You're a working man?"

"Brooke. Peyton." Nathan stated, clearly embarrassed to be found in his current attire. "Seeing as how you're probably on some low-carb diet, I assume you're not customers?"

"You assumed right. We just came to say hi." Brooke smiled flirtatiously, willing herself not to get lost in his deep blue eyes... Too late.

"Well, normally I would have to ask you to leave, but seeing as how there's no one here during the lunch rush... I guess I'm on break." he took off his apron before following the two girls to a nearby bench.

"So... from the looks of things working in a pretzel stand's not all it's cracked up to be?" Peyton spoke up for the first time, leaning over Brooke to get a glimpse of her former boyfriend.

"Please." Brooke laughed, ignoring the fact that the question was not directed toward her. "Since when was working in a pretzel stand cracked up to be anything but manual labor? No offence, Nathan, but it sounds like a pretty shitty job to me."

"None taken. The only reason I'm working here is to pay my rent."

"I'm sorry, but isn't your dad loaded?" Brooke inquired, trying to understand why anyone would prefer a job over, well... free money.

"Yes." Nathan replied simply. "And I would gladly take his money if it didn't give him licence to control my life. With my dad, there are always strings attached."

"Are you sure that it's not just money attached to those strings?" Brooke was incessant. What had happened to the rich, arrogant bastard she once knew?

Nathan laughed as he shook his head. "I'm sure."

"Ahem."

The three turned their heads simultaneously to see none other than Haley James standing before them.

Nathan was the first to greet her. "Haley." he smiled as he embraced her. "Brooke and Peyton were just keeping me company on my lunch break."

"But I'm sure you can take over from here." Peyton suggested for Haley's sake. "Come on, Brooke." she tugged on her best friend's arm, but to no avail. The brunette would not budge.

"Tutor girl." Brooke stated.

Haley sighed, exasperated, and tucked a loose piece of her auburn colored hair behind her ear. "Brooke."

Nathan's head shifted from Brooke to Haley, then back again. He could feel the tension building and was relieved when he spied a clueless customer waiting at the pretzel stand. "I'm sorry, but I have to get back to work." He gave Haley a quick kiss on the forehead- not as romantic as she would've liked- and Brooke and Peyton a slight wave before hurrying back to work.

Haley turned to leave, but was stopped abruptly by none other than Brooke. "Just because Nathan has to go back to work doesn't mean you can't have any fun."

Haley willed herself not to laugh. Okay, two could play this game. "What did you have in mind?"

"This will make Nathan go crazy." Brooke said, forcing the set of lingerie on her newfound friend. "And for Mr. Jagielski..." she sifted through the articles, showing off her expertise. "Aha! He wont be able to keep his hands off you."

Peyton and Haley exchanged glances.

"This is all very thoughtful, Brooke..." Haley started, choosing her words carefully.

"No," Brooke cut her off. "What would be thoughtful is if you'd try that on for Nathan after a long day at work."

"Brooke!" Peyton said with a laugh. She knew that her friend was having fun with this one.

"P. Sawyer." Brooke replied tauntingly. "Come on, you were just telling me how badly you wanted to get Jake in the sack. What better way to do it?"

Peyton hit the brunette playfully on the arm, before saying with a gravely serious expression: "You really think that will work?"

The three girls laughed, and Haley was surprised to discover that she was genuinely enjoying herself.

After that one customer, the pretzel stand had been unbearably quiet. This left Nathan with nothing to do besides spy on the many shoppers. He yawned out of boredome and remained unentertained until something finally managed to grab his attention. Haley, Peyton, and Brooke emerged from Victoria's Secret- each with a shopping bag in hand. He let out a small laugh. This was, without a doubt, Brooke's doing. This was what happens when his perfect, innocent girlfriend is exposed to the likes of the devil.

Brooke finally returned home to a very unusual scene. Every painting had been stripped from the wall, and half of the furniture was missing. Her parents were sitting on opposite ends of the couch, both with grave expressions on their aging faces.

"What's going on?" Brooke wanted to know. The sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach told her that something just wasn't right.

A familiar tune went off and Peyton picked up her cell phone to see Brooke's name flashing across the caller ID. She raised an eyebrow in confusion- Brooke had just dropped her off ten minutes ago- but picked up the phone nonetheless.

"Hey. What's goin' on?"

"I'm poor!" Brooke wailed, and Peyton could tell that this would not be a pleasant phone conversation.

From the other side of the phone line, Brooke was balancing the phone with the help of her shoulder, lying on a bed that was seemingly cut in half. She picked up the spoon and dug it into the ice cream carton. Rocky road always got the job done.

Welp, there's the first installment for you. Drop me a review, and I'll try to update as soon as I can! Thanks:)


	2. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own One Tree Hill or any of it's characters.

Author's Note: I lied. It does not take place during season 2.. It is definitely season 1, but I guess the story kind of has it's own time frame. None of the new season 2 characters exist.. Nathan and Haley are _not_ married.. The whole Lucas/Brooke/Peyton triangle thing _did_ happen.. I guess that's pretty much the basics. If I think of anything else, I'll let you know. I have decided that the pairing will most definitely be Nathan/Brooke, but they have a ways to go. Their relationship will develop... you'll see what happens. Oh, and I'm trying to include a variety of characters so it's not based solely on Brooke, although she might be considered the premise. Oh, and one more thing... PLEASE drop a review- just to let me know that you're reading, if nothing else. I don't know what to make of all these hits with a fraction of the reviews. Don't get me wrong, I did appreciate the reviews I received. Thank you guys so much! You're the best:) Sorry, this chapter came out a little later than expected, but I'm done with school now so I'll try and update more frequently.

Chapter 1: Merciless Slut

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"Come on, Brooke… You have to try to be open-minded." Peyton pleaded with her friend. They had been at the mall for hours and were so far unsuccessful. "These are… cute." she said, picking up a pair of wedges, ignoring the fact that they had 'cheap' written all over them.

Brooke looked back at her friend with a solemn expression on her delicate face. "Peyton, Peyton, Peyton…" she shook her head in disappointment. Had she not taught her anything? "Need I remind you that you found those shoes in a bin? That's just code for cheap garbage…" she glanced up to see a saleswoman standing directly in front of her. "Lovely shoes. Vintage is _so_ in right now." without another word, she grabbed Peyton's arm and dragged her away.

"I don't see why you can't just wear one of your old outfits to Nathan's party." Peyton reasoned once they had left the store and were apparently on their way to another one.

Brooke laughed incredulously. "One of my _old_ outfits? My parents gave my one-hundred dollars, Peyton, and I am going to spend it… before they take it back to buy food or something."

"Oh, come on. You guys aren't that poor."

"Did I tell you we're having a yard sale on Saturday?" Brooke replied, trying to prove her point. "We practically have to sell all of our possessions to keep from going bankrupt."

Peyton shook her head and laughed as Brooke stuck her lower lip out a few inches and her eyes widened. "Fine!" she gave in. "If you can find a dress for a hundred dollars, I'll cover shoes and accessories."

Brooke squealed with delight as she bounded into her friends arms. "Thanks, P. Sawyer! You are _so_ my best friend."

"Someone's got to be." Peyton replied as she opened up her purse, retrieving some of her father's "emergency" money.

-------

Peyton couldn't hide her smile as she approached her clean-cut, drama-free boyfriend. Jake was standing at his locker, retrieving the materials needed for his next class.

His smile matched hers the moment he noticed her standing there. She was wearing her Tric promoting t-shirt- something that had never been buried in her closet for long, unlike the many items that Brooke had forced her to buy- and a simple pair of loose-fitting jeans.

"Hey," she said, breaking the ice. The two teens were still adjusting to the concept of dating.. Not "hanging out", but actual, full-on dating.

"Hi, Peyton," he replied, extending his open hand. She readily accepted it. She had always considered hand-holding to be a bit cliché, but now that she was with Jake Jagielski? It was something she could definitely see herself getting used to.

"So, um... what are you doing Friday night?" she asked, almost cautiously. "I don't know if you've heard, but Nathan's having a party at his parent's beach house." she caught his eye and comprehended his hesitant expression. "I know the whole party scene gets a little old, but I have to be Brooke's chauffer anyway. It could be fun if we went together..." she looked away in an insecure fashion, praying he would take a hint and save them from this awkward situation.

"I'm sorry, Peyton..." he replied, and she could tell he was sincere. Jake was always sincere. "But I, uh... sort of have other plans."

She nodded with a forced smile plastered on her face, hoping she had succeeded in masking her disappointment. Had she misunderstood him from the beginning? Maybe they weren't the "exclusive" couple she had thought they were... Or maybe she was just being paranoid?

It didn't take him long to read her expression. "No, no... it's nothing like that." he assured her. "There's just something that I have to do."

Again, she nodded the way any supportive girlfriend would, but for some reason she could not put an end to the paranoia. What was he not telling her?

-------

"Hey, tutor friend!" Haley turned to see Brooke, as expected, standing before her, flipping her voluminous hair behind her shoulder. She was wearing a typical Brooke outfit- a short skirt and slutty top- along with a mischievous smile.

"That's a step up, I suppose." Haley replied, referring to her new label. "What's up, Brooke?"

"Word on the street is you and Nathan are getting pretty serious." Brooke never was the type to beat around the bush...

"Are you talking about sex?" Haley asked, digging her hands into the pockets of her denim jeans. "Because rest assured that lingerie set is sitting in my closet untouched."

"Believe me," Brooke replied with the knowledge that they were talking her area of expertise. "You will _both_ be thanking me one day."

Haley rolled her eyes playfully. "Is this what you came to me for?" Haley inquired. "To talk about my sex life? Or lack thereof..."

"Believe it or not, no. I'm afraid to say that I actually have an ulterior motive."

Haley waited expectantly, and somewhat impatiently, for her to go on. Moments earlier, she had spied Lucas via her peripheral vision and was eager to talk to him.

"Well," Brooke finally went on. "Seeing as how you're Nathan's girlfriend, I assumed you'd be at his party on Friday..."

"Actually, no." Haley stopped Brooke short. "I wasn't planning on it."

Brooke's dainty features were etched with confusion. "Why not?"

"It's not really my crowd." Haley replied truthfully. "And besides, I already promised myself to Lucas."

At the mere mention of his name, Brooke's previously perky mood deteriorated. The painful memories flooded back all at once. Despite the fact that all three of them had seemed to move passed it, it was still something she had to live with. She masked her pain with the title of captain of the cheer sluts and merciless bitch. "Of course you did..." Brooke began, having been reminded of her expected role. "God forbid Lucas spend an evening alone."

Haley folded her arms in annoyance and sent the brunette a warning glare. "That's not fair. Lucas is my best friend, and like it or not, he used to mean something to you, too."

Brooke watched as Haley walked off to the man himself and sighed. What wasn't fair was that Lucas had the ability to make any and all women come running. He could get anyone he wanted, and that wasn't because of his growing popularity. He was the complete opposite of his brother- the sweet, sensitive one. Yes, the Scott boys were something else. Besides their passion for basketball, they shared none of the same qualities, and yet it was impossible to determine which one was more desirable.

Brooke was embarrassed when Lucas caught her staring. She abruptly turned around and walked in the other direction, distancing herself from him. She spied Bevin talking to a freshman who didn't stand a chance and immediately linked arms with her, dragging her friend away in a hurry. No longer would Lucas Scott have that affect on her.

-------

"Good one, P. Sawyer." Brooke forced an uncomfortable, and somewhat shaky laugh. "You really had me goin'..."

Peyton sighed and looked up at her best friend apologetically. "I'm really sorry, Brooke. You know I'd do anything for you... It's just that-"

"Then don't bail out on me!" Brooke desperately pleaded. "Getting wasted will be no fun if you're not there to be my chauffer!"

Peyton bit her bottom lip guiltily. "You'll have Bevin..." she began to protest, but to no avail. Brooke was clearly incessant that she attend this party.

"It wont be the same!" the brunette dramatically cried.

Peyton sighed, beginning to consider the battle lost. And she had so badly wanted to surprise Jake... Then suddenly, it hit her. "Who paid for those seventy-five dollar heels you just had to have?" and she knew she had won. "Cut me a little slack, Brooke. I'm still your best friend... but tonight I really need to be Jake's girlfriend."

Brooke folded her arms stubbornly, and even attempted her famous pout.

"That wont work." Peyton said in a sing-song voice.

"Whatever happened to hoes over bros?" Brooke wanted to know. In turn, she received a stern expression on her friend's relentless face. "Fine," she gave in. "but if you two don't have sex after tonight, then so help me God..."

Peyton laughed and stepped forward to hug her best friend. "Don't worry... you'll be so drunk that you wont even miss me."

-------

Brooke impatiently refilled her plastic cup with the first bottle of alcohol she could find.

_"Brooke!"_ Bevin scolded, half drunk herself. "Peyton told me to look after you, and I think you've had a bit too much to drink."

Brooke couldn't help but laugh at her current ally's slurring. Bevin definitely wasn't the best at handling her liquor...

"Hey Bevin," Brooke said, not bothering to wait for a drunken response. "I think Tim's waiting for you." she pointed to one of the bedroom doors with an approving smile, praying that her friend would comply... and ultimately lay off of her.

"Okay!" Bevin readily agreed, and stumbled off toward the given direction.

"Remind me to kill myself before ever coming to another party with Bevin." Brooke said, directing her comment to whoever was closest.

"And what a shame that would be."

Brooke turned to see none other than Nathan Scott standing beside her. She raised an eyebrow, intrigued, and smoothed the invisible wrinkles on her little black number. "You know what they say..." she started, placing a seductive finger on his chest and tracing tiny circles. "It's not who you arrive with. It's who you go home with."

"That sounds like something I used to say." Nathan replied, abruptly removing her finger.

"But you don't anymore?" Brooke laughed mockingly. "What, is tutor girl, like, expanding her horizons? You've mastered your fractions and are now on to morals?" she laughed some more, failing to notice the disgusted expression on his face.

He shook his head. She could be a real bitch sometimes. "I'm not going to listen to this." he began to maneuver his way through the crowd. He didn't get far before Brooke grabbed hold of his arm, stopping him.

"I'm sorry..." she said. It seemed as though she was actually sincere before she went on to say: "..sorry you aint gettin' any from tutor prude." she cracked up, not realizing how lame that sounded in her current frame of mind. Yes, as of right now, Brooke Davis was definitely living up to all expectations of her.

Nathan rolled his eyes and walked away, this time successfully.

-------

"See ya guys, thanks for coming." Nathan said routinely as the last of his guests stumbled through the open doorway. It was roughly four in the mourning, and he had insisted on kicking every last person out of his beach house. For some reason, the whole party scene just wasn't as appealing as it used to be... Neither was the cleaning, he noted as he stepped through the endless amount of garbage. He was looking forward to crawling onto his couch- perhaps the only place that people _didn't_ have sex- and going to sleep.

Just one problem...

He walked into the main room to see a passed out Brooke sprawled across the floor, her plastic cup still seemingly attached to her hand. He shook his head and sighed heavily.

-------

Brooke awoke to a pain in her head like no other. She finally opened her eyes to discover that she was still at Nathan's... on his living room couch, to be exact. But she couldn't have possibly navigated herself... It was then that she noticed a faint voice coming from one of the bedrooms. She willed for the person to quit speaking. Her head was pounding enough as it is. But once she recognized her own name, she suddenly became very interested in what they had to say...

-------

"Yes, Brooke spent the night." Nathan confirmed, knowing that he had to be honest in order to gain any sense of trust. "But nothing happened, I promise you. She passed out... I slept on the floor."

"I don't want to sound like a jealous girlfriend, but I really don't like this, Nathan."

He could sense the disappointment in her voice, and it saddened him. He would do anything to gain her trust back completely. _Anything_. "The party went on for most of the night, anyway." he defended. "So, if it makes you feel better, she was only here a few hours longer than everyone else."

"That's comforting." Haley laughed. "Okay, fine. I'll let it slide... but just this once."

"I don't think you'll need to worry about anymore parties for awhile, Hales." he assured her. "And if I haven't learned my lesson yet, then I will by the time I finish cleaning this place up."

-------

Brooke effectively tuned him out with the help of a nearby pillow. She lost interest just as soon as her name was dropped from the conversation. She didn't need to hear Nathan phone flirting with tutor girl. There was just something wrong with that idea...

"You're awake."

_Damn... _"And you're half naked."Brooke noticed as Nathan walked into the room wearing only his flannel pajama pants. Why had she failed to notice his perfectly toned body before?

"So are you." he replied, referring to her dress, which was anything but modest.

"Look," she began, ignoring his previous comment. "I have no idea what I said or did last night, but I'm guessing that I probably left a path of destruction in my wake... I'm sorry if any of it was directed toward you."

He regarded her carefully, considering her apology for a moment before finally accepting it. "Don't worry about it."

She smiled, putting her signature dimples on display. It was impossible for him not to return the gesture.

"I hate to break this up," he said. "but as you can see, I have a bit of work to do."

She glanced around the beach house, which looked to be the victim of a tornado or something equally destructive. "Seeing as how most of this mess is probably mine... I'll help."

"Brooke Davis... cleaning up after herself?" Clearly, Nathan was utterly stunned. "I never thought I'd see the day."

"I'll have to get used to it sometime." she replied, referring to her current status. "I don't know if you've heard or not... but I'm poor."

And so she went into her dramatic tale as the two worked side-by-side.

Nathan didn't realize it then... but there would be other parties.


	3. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I do not own One Tree Hill or any of it's characters.

Author's Note: Thanks for the reviews, guys! I appreciate it SO much:) Sorry for the wait. I've just been short on time the past couple of weeks. I hope you enjoy this next chapter!

Chapter 2: Desperate Times Call for Desperate Measures

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"So, how was the big party?" Peyton asked, breaking the unusually long silence. The two friends were sitting on opposite sides of her full-sized bed. Peyton busied herself with yet another sketch, this one involving Jake, while Brooke was absorbed in a fashion magazine.

Brooke rolled her eyes. "Painfully uneventful." she looked over at the blonde, who nodded, seemingly expecting more information. "Same old story... I don't remember a thing."

Peyton laughed. "Who's bed were you in at the end of the night... do ya remember that much?"

Brooke reached for a nearby pillow and threw it forcefully at her friend.

"I'll take that as a no..."

"I woke up on Nathan's couch, all right?" Brooke said, all the while glaring at the blonde.

Peyton's smile disappeared as the pencil fell from her hand. "Brooke..." she sighed. "I know I'm not really one to talk, but that's someone else's boyfriend..."

"Nothing happened, so you can spare me the lecture, P. Sawyer."

"Oh..." Peyton replied sheepishly as she came to an understanding. "You passed out."

"Did you even have to ask?" Brooke responded while sitting up straight, crossing her legs Indian style. "He was actually really sweet, though. I mean, he took care of me. No guy has ever really done that for me before."

Peyton observed her friend carefully. She appeared to be in a dream-like state. The dimples on her face were fully exposed, and she was staring up at the ceiling blissfully. Suddenly, realization hit her like a ton of bricks. "Nooo!"

Brooke acknowledged the abandoned sketchbook. Peyton had always held the ability to multitask- to talk and draw at the same time. So, why had she dropped the pencil and joined her at the foot of the bed?

"You like Nathan!" Brooke opened her mouth to speak, but was immediately cut off. "Don't even try to deny it." Again, Brooke attempted to respond, but she could not get a word in. "Look, I'm not saying you guys wouldn't be good together, because let's face it, Nathan's practically the male version of you.." Although she apparently was not allowed to talk, Brooke took the time to stick her tongue out at her lecturing friend. "But he's with Haley now, and it wouldn't be right."

"Are you finished?" Brooke spoke, expressing her attitude by not only the sound of her voice, but also her raised eyebrows and folded arms. She went on after receiving a satisfied nod in reply. "Thanks for the lecture.. _mom_, but-"

"Okay, I'm sorry, but when has your mom ever lectured you about anything in your life?"

"Oh, that is so beside the point." Brooke replied, annoyed at the interruption. "May I continue?"

"I'm sorry, continue." Peyton smiled, this could get interesting..

"First of all.." Brooke began, "I never said I liked Nathan." Peyton opened her mouth to speak, but was immediately served with a dose of her own medicine. "Nu-uh-uh." Brooke wagged her index finger disapprovingly. "It's my turn now." Peyton relented and waited for her friend to continue. "And second," Brooke finally said. "Even if I did like Nathan, which I do _not_, I would never do anything to sabotage his relationship with tutor girl."

"Brooke, think about all the times in the past that you've stolen other girls' boyfriends and tell me why this situation is any different."

"It's not." Brooke responded after a bit of thought. "_I_ am."

"Good answer." Peyton finally replied, returning to her abandoned sketchbook... unfortunately not before Brooke caught a glimpse of it.

"I'm not even going to ask what the hidden meaning behind _this_ is." Brooke said, both hands laid firmly on both sides of the small binder, preventing the blonde from stealing it back.

Peyton sighed, staring at her new creation with guilt. She was standing outside of Jake's house, knocking relentlessly on the padlocked door. Jake was gazing out the window sadly. He held the key in his hand, but for some reason, refused to let her in.

"This is way too deep for my shallow little mind to interpret." Brooke decided. "I'm going to break it down to one of two things: One, the sex wasn't any good. Or two... there was no sex."

"Sex?" Peyton laughed incredulously. "Brooke, there wasn't even a handshake! I'm telling you, he's not interested."

"What do you mean?" Brooke's expression was marked with utter confusion. "Wasn't he happy to see you?"

"I don't know." Peyton replied, her features overwhelmed with sadness. "He just seemed distracted... like there was somewhere else he wanted to be. I offered to leave, and he didn't object. End of story."

"You don't think...?" Brooke hated to even make such a suggestion, but she could tell by the solemn expression on her friend's face that she had considered the possibility, too.

She sighed helplessly. So much for a drama-free weekend.

-------

Brooke's outfit of choice consisted of black gauchos, a white top, and black shades- just to show she meant business. She climbed the front steps with ease and soon found herself knocking on the door.

No answer.

She knocked again, this time with added force. She pounded incessantly until it finally swung open and she was face to face with a very peeved looking Jake Jagielski. She swallowed nervously, having never seen him with an unpleasant expression on his face. She could've turned around and left... but she came seeking answers, and that was what she was going to get. "Jake." she stated, hoping to threaten him with her steady voice and bitchy attitude. "Mind if I come in?" Of course, she didn't wait for a response before walking past him as if the house was her own.

"Brooke." Jake's expression softened as he closed the front door carefully. "I'm sorry, I wasn't expecting any visitors. What can I do for you?"

Damn Jake for being so polite and making it that much harder for her! As difficult as it was, she didn't let up. "I'm sorry, am I interrupting something?" Her eyes shifted to his clothing, seeking any sort of evidence. Surprisingly, no button had been left undone and every hair on his head was in agreement with the rest. Damn... he was good. She did, however, notice that a shoelace had been left untied... but that hardly helped her case considering most people didn't even wear shoes indoors.

"Uh... no, no, not really."

Aha! Stuttering! This revealed nervousness which ultimately meant he was hiding something! "Is that so?" Brooke smugly replied. "Then you wouldn't mind giving me a tour?" This may have been a bit of a stretch, but she was not a private investigator. "I don't believe I've been here before.." she admitted. "Or if I have, then I don't remember." she winked flirtatiously. Who's to say she can't have any fun while on the mission?

"Brooke, this really isn't the best time..." Jake was uncomfortable, to say the least. He would've asked her to leave if he wasn't so damn afraid of her!

"Not the best time? Then when is a good time... Jake?" she inquired. "Why don't you just say it? Quit wasting our time and just admit that you're cheating on my best friend!" Woops... she hadn't meant to snap like that, but in a way, she was relieved. At least now, the truth was out.

"Wait... what?"

The complete and utter confusion on his face told her that she had jumped to conclusions. Suddenly, a loud, obnoxious wail could be heard throughout the house, informing Brooke that they were not alone.

Jake sighed. "That's Jenny." he informed her. "Up until your outburst, she was fast asleep."

-------

_"Nathan!" _Haley giggled as her boyfriend longingly planted kisses along her neck. "We have work to do, you know!" she said, making a feeble attempt to push him away. "We're not even through with the American Revolution!"

Nathan managed to break the history book from her grasp and toss it to the floor. Surprisingly, Haley didn't object. Instead, she absorbed herself in a steamy kiss. Only he held the ability to distract her from

her school-work. It wasn't until his hand slipped under her cami with ease that she was reminded of his promiscuous nature. She abruptly removed his hand and broke away from the kiss.

"What's the matter?" Nathan asked.

He was unsuccessful at masking his disappointment, Haley noted. "Slow down, okay?" she said before taking the time to catch her breath. "I'm not ready for anything like that."

"Is this about commitment?" he wondered. "Because I love you, Hales. There's no one else... you know that."

"You say that one day, and then the next you're having sleepovers with Brooke Davis?" Clearly, that had been eating away at her since. "I just- I don't get you, Nathan."

"I told you, nothing happened between me and Brooke." he was clearly annoyed with her inability to trust him. "I thought you would appreciate my honesty." he added, hoping to trigger some guilt.

"I did!" she replied, unsure of what else to say. She was having a difficult time expressing her feelings.

He shifted himself until he was directly in front of her. Cautiously, he took hold of her hands. "What do I have to do to prove my commitment to you, Haley? To show you that it's you I love- no one else."

She slowly smiled and squeezed his hands reassuringly. Maybe he did understand, after all...

-------

Brooke watched from the doorway in shock as Jake cradled the whining baby in his arms. He handled her with such love- with such affection... there was no way that baby was anything but his. He waited patiently until she fell asleep before returning her to her crib and leaving the room.

"So that's the other woman, huh?" Brooke said, mentally cursing herself for confronting Jake in the first place.

"That's the other woman." Jake confirmed. "Look, um... I have a favor to ask of you."

"A favor?" Brooke knew before-hand exactly what he wanted from her, and she willed him not to say it... not to involve her in the situation at all.

"Yeah," he replied. "And since you barged in here and basically accused me of cheating on Peyton, I think you owe it to me to hear me out."

"Fine." she relented, sinking into a nearby chair. "But I don't baby-sit, if that's what you were wondering."

"Well, unless I'm looking to turn my daughter into a six-month-old prostitute.." Jake replied, knowing that Brooke was not the most responsible person in the world. "No, I need you to _not_ tell Peyton about Jenny."

Brooke shook her head. So predictable... "Why not? Isn't she suppose to be your pride and joy? Or something like that?"

"She _is._ It's just- things are going so well with Peyton. The fact that I'm fathering a six-month-old child might taint things a little bit."

"Yeah..." she replied, considering his explanation. "You're right. That would put a damper on your market value."

"So... does that mean you'll keep Jenny on the down low?" Jake replied, hope being the leading characteristic in his voice.

Brooke laughed. "Jake, if you want to buy my secrecy, you could start by _buy_ing me a new pair of shoes.. or a purse.. or-

"You're kidding, right?" Jake replied. "I'm a seventeen-year-old father who lives with his parents. I don't have a dime to spare."

Brooke raised an eyebrow skeptically. "Right..." she stood up from her chair and whisked past him. "Well, I'm sorry, but I've really got to get going. I'm going over to Peyton's..."

"Okay, okay, okay." Jake stepped in front of her, blocking the doorway. "I can maybe get you... one of the above."

Brooke smiled. "Good, because there's these pair of heels I've been eyeing at the mall..."

"Will you take a check?" Jake asked, clearly uninterested in the details.

"I prefer cash..." Brooke stopped herself the moment she noticed the expression on his face. "but that's your call." she finished.

"How much are they?"

"Eighty dollars."

"_Eighty_ dollars?"

"Yeah," Brooke replied. "That buys you the luxury of a box to carry them home in. Seriously, Jake? You've never splurged before?"

"I've never spent eighty dollars on a pair of shoes, I'll tell you that much." he scribbled his signature onto the check before unwillingly handing it to her. "I really hate hiding this from Peyton, but it's just not the right time..."

"It's okay, Jake." Brooke said, stopping him. "I understand."

"Really?"

"Well, no.. but you just gave me $80. You don't have to explain yourself to me."

"Right." he replied. "So we have a deal, then?"

"We have a deal."

-------

Brooke slammed her locker and sighed, contemplating whether or not she should skip her next class. She walked into school that morning lacking her usual perkiness. She hated lying to her best friend. It was eating away at her. She was the last person to be linked to a conscience, but this was too much...

"Wait, wait, wait, I missed out on being the best man _and _a bachelor party?"

Brooke whirled around to see a small crowd centered around Nathan and Haley. Seeking answers, she pushed her way through. "What's going on?" she asked, apparently expecting everyone to drop all previous conversations to attend to her.

"Nathan and Haley got married!" Tim cried. _"Married!"_

"What?" Brooke laughed. "That's ridicu-" she eyed the gold wedding bands. He _was _serious. For some reason unbeknownst her, her day suddenly got a hundred times worse.

-------

Review, please:)


	4. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I do not own One Tree Hill.

Author's Note: I thought that, come summer, I'd have more time to write, but it seems that no matter what I do I'm always strapped for time. I'm extremely sorry for the long wait. I can't promise that it wont happen again, but I'll do my best. I'm extremely appreciative of the reviews, although they _did _go down last chapter. Just please let me know if you're reading so I can know whether or not I should continue.. Reviews are _always _welcomed- good or bad. Anyway, please enjoy this next chapter- I sure hope it was worth the wait:)

Chapter 3: Just a Crush?

-------

"Damn it!" Brooke cursed as her purse fell to the floor and its contents were distributed throughout the hallway. "Watch where you're going!" she ordered the freshman who had bumped into her and could apparently care less. She glared as he walked away. _Did he not know who she was? _She sighed as she knelt to collect her belongings, wallowing in her own self-pity.

She retrieved the last item and stood, only to be met face-to-face with the man who had literally taken her heart, tossed it in the shredder, and returned the pieces. "Lucas." she greeted, lacking her signature dimpled smile and overwhelming amount of perkiness. She attempted to move past him, but he wouldn't allow it.

"Hi, Brooke," he said, using his best efforts to hide his nervousness. "Look," he started after clearing his throat. "I know that we've been through ... a lot, but, uh, despite everything, I've always considered you a friend of mine ... and that's why I was hoping you'd grant me this favor."

Brooke's face lacked any trace of emotion at all. After everything, this was what she felt about Lucas: nothing. However, she could see the desperation in his eyes, and for some reason, felt inclined to help him. "Okay." she stated. "What is it?"

"Well, see ... I'm sure you've heard about Nathan and Haley by now, and, uh, Haley really wants me to tie up all loose ends with him." she nodded to show she was following along, and so he continued. "So, that's why I've decided to throw them a party- a wedding reception, if you will- to show that I support them and their decision to get married.

She stared at him blankly. "And this involves me ... how?"

"No one knows how to throw a party like Brooke Davis, right?" he replied, a hopeful expression on his face.

Brooke considered his request for a moment, all the while getting lost in his deep blue eyes. Upon realizing what was happening, she abruptly shook out of her trance. After all, that is how the whole thing started in the first place ... love triangle from hell included. Spending more time with Lucas would be a recipe for disaster. In fact, she came close to saying no ... to denying him her help and expertise, but then her mind drifted to Nathan. He took care of her. The least she could to was throw him a raging party ... and get him so smashed he completely forgets about the life-altering mistake he made- if only for one night.

"All right." she finally said. "I'll do it. Meet me at Tric after school. Don't be late." With that, she spun around- stilettos and all- and walked away.

-------

"They did _what_?" Dan spat into his cell phone, outraged at the situation. "They're seventeen years old, surely they wouldn't have given them permission?" He paced the length of his office repeatedly, desperately seeking answers. "Great. Now any chance Nathan had of receiving a scholarship has been shot to hell. This is just _great_. Goodbye Deb." He forcefully chucked his phone across the room. It smashed against the wall before falling to the floor. He grabbed onto the ends of his dark hair and let out an exasperated sigh. One thing was for certain: he would put an end to this one way or another. Nathan had a real chance at achieving fame and fortune. And through his son, Dan had a chance at making it to the big leagues. He would not let one girl ruin everything he has worked so hard for.

"I can't waste more time than I already have." he quietly mumbled to himself, a look of pure determination on his face. And so, he sat down in his chair- ignoring the work he got paid to do- and began to brainstorm.

-------

Brooke watched from afar as Jake and Peyton appeared to be congratulating Nathan and Haley. She was suddenly overcome with guilt as the memory of betraying her best friend returned to focus. And all for a pair of shoes ... She uneasily looked down at them, wrapped around her freshly pedicured feet. They weren't even _that_ cute. She glanced back up at the two happy couples, exchanging words and laughing gleefully. She felt a twinge of sadness as Nathan's arm slid around Haley's waist and she tenderly rested her head on his shoulder. She was on the verge of tears when Peyton demanded to see Hailey's ring, and they both squealed with delight. That was too much for her. She abruptly blinked away the unshed tears, because Brooke Davis does not cry. She then turned around and began walking in the opposite direction, grabbing some random guy along the way and dragging him with her. He didn't seem to mind and quite appreciated the comments made by a few of his friends. She was too numb to care. However, what she didn't see was the sadness in Nathan's eyes as he watched her walk away.

-------

Brooke scurried into Tric, all the while fixing her hair and readjusting her blouse. Lucas was seated at a bar stool and had been for the past forty-five minutes. He frowned at her appearance- the smudged lipstick, the disheveled hair, the crooked skirt... "No need to ask where you've been." he said quietly, but immediately regretted it.

_"Excuse me?"_ she said incredulously. "Need I remind you that I'm doing you a favor?"

"I'm sorry." he said sincerely. "Can we please get to work now? Need I remind _you_ that I'm skipping practice because of the time that _you_ arranged to meet at?"

"Fine." she replied, rolling her eyes and making her way over to the stage. "This is the deal. Take notes, basketball boy. We're going to need entertainment, decorations and booze. I know this guy who works over at the music store, and I'm thinking he'll _play _for a good _lay_." she noticed Lucas cringe, which only added to her satisfaction. "Decorations are pretty basic- balloons, streamers, that kind of thing. I'm pretty sure I can get my _hands on_ some of that. I know somebody who knows somebody." she added a wink for her own personal enjoyment. "You're in charge of the liquor." she walked across the stage to get a good look at the popular club and an idea of the work that lied ahead. "Here's a helpful hint: when you think you've bought too much, buy more. Never underestimate the ability of teenage drinkers."

"Uh ... Brooke? I'm seventeen years old. How do you expect me to buy alcohol?"

She bit her bottom lip thoughtfully as she scanned his appearance. "Let's see ... You're tall with a little bit of facial hair. You could easily pass for twenty-one. However, if they do card you, do what I always do.."

"Sleep with the sales clerk?"

She laughed and playfully stuck her tongue out at him. "Not what I was getting at ... just do what you have to do, okay?"

"Okay." he replied, and they were both smiling at this point.

It was Brooke who finally spoiled the moment. "We'll have the party after the basketball game on Friday." she said, getting back to business. "Meet me here tomorrow after practice and we can start setting

up." Satisfied, she made her way over to the exit, but not before turning around and sending him a flirtatious wink.

He smiled as he watched her leave, happy that- after everything- he and Brooke were finally at a good place again.

-------

Brooke sat surrounded by her squad, blue and white pom-poms resting on her lap. It was Friday night, and it seemed as though the entire town had shown up to cheer on the Tree Hill Ravens. She scanned the crowd, eagerly waiting for the game to begin. Her smile disappeared as something caught her eye- something that shouldn't disturb her one bit. Haley was seemingly wishing Nathan luck. She was wearing his spare jersey, easily adjusting to the role of basketball star's wife. He leaned down to kiss her and, if possible, Brooke's face fell even more. _Why was this upsetting her? _If anyone was wrong, it was her. _She _was the one with feelings for a married man! Having just inwardly admitted that to herself, Brooke panicked. "I have to go to the bathroom." she mumbled to a nearby cheerleader before scurrying toward the exit.

"I like Nathan Scott!" she confirmed aloud as she paced the width of the hallway. "I can't like Nathan ... he's married. Of all the twisted things you've done in your life.." frustrated, she leaned against the wall as she spoke to herself in the seemingly abandoned hallway.

Suddenly, Peyton's head poked out from the doorway. "Come on, Brooke. The games about to star-" she stopped when she noticed the state her friend was in. "Are you okay?" she asked, genuinely concerned.

"I'm fine." she lied. "I'll be right in." conflicted between her responsibilities as head cheerleader and her personal life, Brooke reluctantly re-entered the gym. Little did she know, a set of eyes were watching her.

Having apparently been hiding behind the corner all this time, Dan Scott appeared wearing a sinister smile.

-------

Tric was suffocatingly packed, and Brooke wondered if all of these people _really were _friends of Nathan and Haley. Speaking of, the happy couple had yet to make an appearance. Brooke was restless as she downed another drink.

"Hey Brooke, slow down a bit." Lucas said with a look of concern. "The party's going to be going on for a while ... I've learned that you want to take it in strides."

"Hey Lucas," Brooke replied mockingly, clearly annoyed. "Know your place."

Lucas sighed, wondering if he and Brooke would ever be friends again. This thought was interrupted when Tim rushed over to the duo.

"They're here." he informed them.

"Keep them outside for a moment, I'll let you know when we're ready." Lucas replied.

Tim nodded dutifully before hurrying off again.

"Okay everyone," Lucas was now on stage and speaking into the microphone. "Whether you know them or not, Nathan and Haley are here. So, um ... when the lights go on, pop up and yell surprise." with that, he bounded off the stage- reclaiming his position next to Brooke- and gave Tim the signal.

Although it proved to be a very difficult task in her silky, skin-tight dress, Brooke knelt down and hid behind a nearby bar stool. Her hair was in "party mode"- down and straight- and her makeup was flawless. Sadly though, she was invisible to the one guy who she couldn't help but fall for. She was as sure of this as she was to the fact that, come tomorrow, she wouldn't remember a thing.

"Surprise!"

Nathan was a bit taken off guard, but Haley was flat-out stunned. She held her hand to her chest- putting her diamond ring on display- as her eyes grew wide. Of course, Lucas was the first to walk over to her. Brooke watched in disgust as he enveloped her into a hug, kissing her tenderly on the forehead. Brooke scanned the room consciously. Was she the only one who found the sight sickening? No, it seemed as though everyone else was happily cheering. And why wouldn't they be? It was just like a fairytale ... the nerdy tutor girl finally found her prince charming. The two got married and lived happily ever after ... literally. Throw in the support of the best friend and you've got yourself a hit.

"Brooke!"

She snapped out of her trance to see none other than Lucas waving her over. Of course, she had no other choice but to comply.

"Brooke was the one who put this whole thing together." Lucas informed the couple. "Seriously, I couldn't have done it without her."

"Aww ... Brooke." Haley said, giddily twirling a strand of her auburn hair around her finger. "Thank you _so _much!"

And before Brooke could stop her, Haley was hugging the brunette ecstatically.

As soon as she was released from Haley's suffocatingly tight death grip, Brooke displayed the best fake smile she could muster. "It was the least I could do to give my congratulations." she said, her eyes landing on Nathan. Soon, she was transfixed and found it impossible to look away. "Best of luck to both of you."

What they didn't see were her fingers crossed behind her back. Sure, Brooke was an expert liar ... but she just couldn't bring herself to do it while looking into those eyes.

They both thanked her and she even received a hug from Nathan, which strangely put her in a state of bliss. It was then that she realized that this wasn't any ordinary school-girl crush. She had fallen for

Nathan ... and she had fallen hard.

-------

Later on in the evening, Brooke was sitting at the bar, drinking half her body weight and getting hit on by numerous guys, hoping to score with the legendary Brooke Davis. Unfortunately for them, she wasn't in the mood. Feeling a light tap on her left shoulder, Brooke downed her last shot and slammed the glass down on the table, nearly breaking it in the process. "I'm going to tell you, just like I told everyone else-" she began heatedly, whirling around in her chair only to realize that it was just Haley. "Oh." she said. "Sorry, I thought you were-"

"It's okay," Haley replied, the smile on her face refusing to falter. "I just wanted to thank you again for everything you've done. This night has meant so much to me."

Brooke bit her bottom lip thoughtfully. From her wavy, voluminous hair to her selfless personality, Haley truly was like a character from a fairytale. "The night's not over yet, tutor girl." Brooke finally replied. "We scheduled some live music, so don't leave anytime soon. I'm sure you and Nate have already had your newlywed fun." she added with a wink.

Haley's face turned a light shade of pink as she smiled with embarrassment.

"Well, what do you say? Do you want to meet the live act?" Brooke decided to change the subject for both Haley's sake ... and her own.

"Hell yes!" Haley replied eagerly as she followed Brooke to the back.

Brooke knocked on the dressing room door a few times. "Ready?" she asked Haley after hearing a faint 'come in'.

"Haley James," she said, failing to recognize her as 'Haley James-Scott'. "Meet Chris Keller."

She opened the door dramatically, but their reaction was completely unexpected. They did not shake hands, nor did they engage in polite conversation. They simply stared at each other. Their gaze could not be broken if Brooke had stripped naked and began running around the room frantically. In Brooke's mind, this could only mean one thing: attraction.

She may have regretted introducing them ... had she not been so extremely proud of herself.

-------

Review, please:)


	5. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I do not own One Tree Hill or any of its characters.

Author's Note: It's been three months now, I know. All I can say is that I'm sorry. I wish I could tell you that from now on I'll be a perfect author and present you with weekly updates... but we all know that wont happen. I'll do the best I can, though. Hopefully, you wont have to wait as long for another update. Oh, and thank you guys SO much for the amazing feedback last chapter. Keep it up! It is greatly appreciated! And, to be honest, it was the only thing that motivated me to write this next chapter. Hope you enjoy:)

Chapter 4: Chemistry

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"Where do you go when you're lonely? Where do you go when the stars go blue?" Haley finished, her voice a tad bit shaky due to her nervousness. She then removed her earphones and glanced up at Chris for feedback.

He shook his head, but said nothing.

"What?" she demanded. Nothing could be worse than silence. "I was nervous, okay?"

"No.." Chris replied. "That was far from okay."

Haley sighed and started for the exit. "Thanks for the support." she mumbled.

"Support?" he abruptly stepped in front of her, blocking her path to the door. "You want support? You have your friends for support. Haley, you have your _husband _for support. But if you want support, I'll hold your hand and tell you 'nice job'. I'll lie to your face and protect you from the realities of the music industry. Is that what you want?" he paused for dramatic affect. "Or do you want to be a singer?"

She considered this for a moment while looking into his eyes. Never had she seen so much passion. It was then that she knew, without a doubt, that he was her ticket to the big leages. "I want to be a singer."

"Then you're going to have to show me something more. And I'm not just talking about singing. It's going to take time. You're not always going to be on Nathan's good side; I'm not going to lie. You wont have as much time to sit around and play house. Are you willing to make these sacrifises, Haley? Do you want this?"

"I'll do whatever it takes." she replied, her voice steady and sure.

"Good. Next session is tonight. Tell the husband not to wait up." he turned to leave, finally satisfied.

"Wait, no ... Tonight's not good. I promised Nathan we could-" she stopped when she saw the look in his eyes. The look of utter dissapointment. She hated that look. "I'll be there."

-------

"Okay, that's fine. We'll eat when you get home ... That late, huh? ... No, this is your dream. I don't want you to cancel because of me ... I love you, too. Bye Haley." Nathan sighed as he set the phone down. The honeymoon was definately over. He slowly walked over to the table and blew out the recently lit candles. His eyes then landed on the trail of rose petals leading to the bedroom. He reluctantly made his way over to the closet, searching for a broomstick.

-------

It was Saturday night, and Brooke was curled up on the sofa with a romance novel and a carton of ice cream. Tonight's selection? Cookie dough. She knew that she should be at Bevin's. It was, after all, a "can't miss". If she had any interest in protecting her reputation of "Tree Hill's top partyer", she would be at Bevin's. But on this particular night, a sugar high seemed much more appealing than any other type of high. She was taken by surprise when her spoon scraped the bottem of the carton. She had polished that off in record time. She got up to retrieve another, but stopped when she heard the faint sound of a tap at the door. She wrapped her silk bathrobe tighter around her body and cautiously made her way toward the entry. Everyone she knew was at the party ... weren't they?

She opened the large, red door and, oddly enough, saw Nathan's retreating figure.

"Leaving so soon?" she called after him, all the while making quick adjustments to her appearance. She watched as he slowly turned around.

"I thought you'd be at Bevin's party." he stated, cautiously walking toward her. He stopped about ten feet away.

"Ya know, Nate, the phrase "looks can kill" is just a saying. You _can _come a little closer."

He considered this for a moment before shaking his head. "Nah, I'm good."

"It wont be considered adultery or anything." she teased. "Come in the house. It's cold out here and some of us are half naked."

He reluctantly agreed and followed her into the massive house. "Woah." he stated, having stepped inside and gotten a peek at the now empty Davis mansion. "Where's all the-" he stopped himself. "Ice cream." he covered, spotting the empty container in her hand.

"Ice cream?" she raised an eyebrow and planted her free hand firmly on her hip.

"Uh, yeah..." he replied, motioning to the carton. "Aren't you going to share?"

Although she was taken a bit off guard by his strange behavior, she replied nonetheless: "The kitchen's this way."

And despite his guilty conscience, he followed her further into the house.

-------

Bevin's house was filled with intoxicated high school students ... most of which were acting like complete and utter morons. The absence of Brooke and Nathan, who were almost worshiped at this type of event, went unnoticed by everyone. That is, with the exception of their close friends. Peyton, for instance, would've given anything to have her best friend at her side at a time like this. She had arrived with Jake, her oh-so-perfect boyfriend. He wasn't there for fifteen minutes before receiving a mysterious phone call. He fed her some lame excuse. Apparently, "something had suddenly come up". Despite her suspicions, she did not question him. And where did that leave her? She was alone at a party ... sitting at the end of the sofa ... watching as another couple went at it ... and for all she knew, he was with another woman doing the exact same thing. And the worst part of all? He was her ride.

So, there she sat. Her appearence resembled that of perfection. Her denim skirt and rocker tee were perfect for this particular all-night drinking fest (aka social gathering, or so the parents were told), and her spiral curls were perfectly in place. But all the effort that went into tonight's appearance had apparently been wasted. Frustrated, she got up to retreive a drink.

However, what she didn't know was that, at that very moment, Jake was not with another woman ... He was nursing his sick child back to health ... all the while feeling terrible for leaving Peyton all alone at that party.

-------

"So.." Nathan began, taking a seat at the end of the sofa. "Why aren't you at the party?"

"I could ask you the same question." Brooke replied, seating herself at the other end and boldly sprawling her legs across his. "But I wont. It's called minding your own business. You should try it sometime."

He mock glared at her before shoveling another spoonful into his mouth. His selection? Chocolate chip.

"So, where's the wife?" Brooke questioned, contradicting her previous statements.

"It's called minding your own business." he mimicked. "You should try it sometime."

Brooke raised a perfectly groomed eyebrow. "Did I sense some bitterness to your tone, Nate? Don't tell me there's trouble in paradise already!" she feigned shock. "Because _all _high school marriages work out. Because you find your soulmate when you're sixteen years old."

He glared at her- for real this time- and she realized that she had gone too far. "Sorry." she mumbled lamely before diverting her glance to the cream-colored carpet, obviously avoiding eye contact.

"And just when I thought you were a human being." he said, dissapointment being the key element in his voice. He then abruptly moved his legs, causing Brooke's to fall limply to the floor.

Brooke sprung into action, leaping off the couch and turning to him, an exasperated look on her face. "I said I was _sorry_," she defended. "_What more do you want from me?_"

"You don't get it, Brooke." Nathan replied, standing up as well so that he was now less then six inches from her face. "You can't treat people that way!" he hadn't meant for his tone to be so loud.. or harsh, for that matter. But perhaps it was necessary, because he could tell from her cold expression that she wasn't backing down either.

"This is _my _house! I will treat people however I damn well please. And if you don't like it, you can leave. What are you doing here, anyway?"

He frowned. She was stubborn- that was for sure. Neither one of them was willing to break their intense stare. That is, until Nathan's mind drifted to Haley. What would she think if she were to walk in that exact moment? Despite the fact that they weren't exactly getting along at that precise moment ... their chemistry could be denied by no one- not even Nathan himself. He held his hands up in an act of surrender and slowly backed away. He walked toward the door, and he could feel Brooke's eyes on him. He could see her in his mind.. hands planted on hips.. that silk bathrobe that left absolutely nothing to the imagination.. that beautiful dark, wavy hair with face framing layers.. those peircing brown eyes following his every move.. and finally, that satisfied smirk on her face knowing she had won.

Too bad for her, Nathan was a sore loser.

"Bitch." He murmered- just loud enough so that she could here- before opening the red door and slamming it on his way out.

Her face fell. The worst part about it was that she had no one to blame but herself.

She sunk into the couch with a sullen look on her face. Not even ice cream could fix this.

Suddenly and unexpectedly, there was a knock at the door ... and a glimmer of hope left for Brooke.

Could it be Nathan? Perhaps coming to apologize?

She hurried to the door, eager to find out. When she opened it, her face fell for the second time in the past two minutes.

"Hello, Brooke."

Brooke simply stood there and stared at the man before her. _What was he doing here? _It was then that she remembered that she was half naked. Consequently, she wrapped her bathrobe tighter around her body and hid everything but her head beneath the large, red door. "Can I help you?" her voice was cold, for she had heard about all the terrible things this man had done.

"I have a proposition for you." he replied. "Aren't you going to invite me in?"

"No."

"Please? It will only take a moment."

She heaved a sigh, and reluctantly stepped aside.

Dan Scott walked into the house wearing a satisfied grin. Nathan and Haley wouldn't be married much longer ... not if he had anything to say about it.

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Review, please:)


	6. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I do not own One Tree Hill or any of its characters.

Author's Note: Sorry for the long wait...and I'm also sorry that this is such a short chapter. Oh, and I promise that the next one will include more Brooke/Nathan interaction. Thanks to all who reviewed! I really do appreciate it:)

Chapter 5: A Deal with the Devil

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Brooke stood in her entryway. Her arms were folded across her chest- partially to show her annoyance, and partially to conceal her chest. Her instincts warned her to stay away.. to kick Dan out of her house that very moment and protect her morality. However, he was Nathan's father, and she found herself strangely curious in what he had to say. "You have two minutes to explain to me why the hell you're here."

"If you're interested, do I get an additional two minutes?"

That never-ending smirk that played on Dan's lips was enough to annoy anyone, especially Brooke, who had a very low tolerance for that type of thing. "Time's ticking, Mr. Scott. You have precisely one minute and fifty-two seconds before your ass is on the other side of this door."

"You're a feisty one." Dan shot back, seemingly unconcerned with his appointed time limit. "I like it."

"Look," Brooke said, making no effort to hide her annoyance. "I don't have time for small talk. Is there a reason why you're here?"

"Yes.." Dan replied, wiping his shoes on the "Welcome" mat- although he was anything but welcome- before walking further into the house. "Yes, there is. This is a nice place you've got here, Ms. Davis. Though it's sort of empty ... wouldn't you say?"

"I'm sorry," Brooke heatedly responded, following him into the house. "but the living room is generally reserved for people who are _invited!_"

"Like my son?" Dan replied. He was already comfortably seated on the sofa, using the coffee table as a foot rest. "I just saw him speed off. Is there something you'd like to share with the class?"

Brooke stared at him incredulously. Her hands were planted on her hips, and her mouth was slightly open. She had heard that Dan enjoyed games, but had no idea just how good at them he was.

"Are you sleeping with Nathan?"

Brooke raised an eyebrow, as the question had taken her completely off-guard. "What? No, I am not _sleeping _with him!"

Dan smirked. "Why not?"

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Nathan slowed to a stop at the side of the road. He came close to pulling a U-turn.. to returning to Brooke's for an overdue apology.. but then again, did he really owe her one? The Nathan that Brooke had grown up with was a self-righteous bastard who refused to admit his wrongdoings. In this sense, she was his twin. The Nathan that Brooke knew wouldn't expect an apology, and she sure as hell wouldn't hand one out herself.

Nathan sighed. As much as his pride urged him to forget about it and resume his path home, Haley had made him a better person. The old Nathan didn't exist anymore, and he didn't want him to. Besides, how hard could it be to swallow his pride and apologize?

Nathan would have done just that had his cell phone not rang at that precise moment. He retrieved it from his pocket and glanced at the caller ID. "Hey. Is everything all right?"

With the exception of a polite "hello" every once and a while, Nathan and Peyton had seldom talked at all since their break-up. That was why Nathan was so surprised that she was calling.

"Nathan!" Peyton replied, expressing her relief with that one word. "Thank God."

"Are you at Bevin's?" he questioned, the sound in the background making it obvious.

"Yeah." she replied. "but I hope not for long.. um, I hate to ask this.. I'm sure you're probably with Haley.." Nathan frowned at this. "but could you pick me up? Believe me, I wouldn't be asking if I wasn't desperate."

"Okay." Nathan replied, putting his car into gear. "I'll be there in a few minutes." He was somewhat grateful for the legit excuse, but frustrated, for he knew he would have to face Brooke sooner or later.

"Thanks Nate." and the two hung up the phone, each with a sigh.

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Brooke shook her head with disbelief. Any trace of humanity she had seen in Dan was now long gone. "I can't be hearing this right.. You're encouraging me to sleep with your son? Your _married _son? I've heard you were a sick bastard, but this is just ridiculous."

"I heard your father went bankrupt." Dan stated. "You've had to cut back on expenses." Brooke's eyes widened as he went on with his proposal. "But where would a girl like you be without her extravagant wordrobe? Her days at the spa?" he retrieved a pen and a notepad from the front pocket of his suit. Brooke watched as he scribbled a number down on the notepad. "Would that help account for some of those losses?"

"You want to pay me to seduce your son? I'm pretty sure you could find some whore off the street who would do the job for a whole lot less.. so why are you asking me? And FYI, your son's _married_ now! His old lifestyle.. with the parties and the one night stands.. he traded all of that in for a wedding band! And me? I'm labeled as the school slut. Nathan wouldn't touch me with a ten foot pole!"

Dan seemed to be completely unfazed by her rant. Wordlessly, he added a 0 to the amount on the notepad.

Brooke's eyes widened as she took the paper from Dan's extended hand. "Now we're talking."

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Silence.

Nathan turned on the radio, hoping to solve this problem. Then, seemingly out of nowhere, Peyton started to laugh.

"What?" Nathan asked, suddenly self-conscious about his music selection.

"Oh, I was just thinking about how horrible we were for each other."

Nathan raised an eyebrow. "Where did _that _come from?" he wanted to know.

"We have nothing to talk about." she replied. "You even had to turn on the radio to ease the awkwardness."

"Well, sure it's awkward now that we're broken up.."

"Oh, come on, Nate." Peyton replied, playing with one of her many curls. "Our relationship was all about sex and drama."

"What's wrong with that?" he laughed when she playfully smacked him.

"I'm glad you found Haley." Peyton said just as the car slowed to a stop in front of her house. "She brings out the best in you.. and that's something that I never could figure out how to do."

"Thanks, Peyton." Nathan replied. She gave a slight wave before getting out of the car. He sighed, because he knew he still had one more stop left to make before he could finally return home.

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Brooke held the check in her hands- the hands that could now finally be treated with a manicure- and wondered if it was worth it. The outcome is never good when someone sells their soul to the devil. But then again, Nathan and Haley were in _high school. _They couldn't honestly expect to still be married ten or twenty _years _from now. So maybe she was doing them a favor by putting them back on the market while still in their prime.

She sighed. As much as she tried to convince herself otherwise, Brooke knew she was a horrible person for what she had agreed to do.

There was a knock on the door. Brooke rolled her eyes in annoyance, as she assumed it was Dan again.

However, it was a different Scott staring back at her when she opened the door.

"Nathan." she stated. Seeing him triggered more guilt than ever before.

"I owe you an apology, Brooke." It _killed _her that he was the one apologizing. "I'm sorry about earlier tonight."

"Don't worry about it." she replied.

He smiled and turned to leave, but she stopped him. "Nathan." his eyes landed on her once again. "I'm sorry." she whispered.

He nodded. "It's okay."

Little did he know, she was really apologizing for all the future pain she would undoubtedly cause him.

And it was far from okay.


End file.
